The Civil Rights era returns to the spotlight next week as the rebuilt Museum of Free Derry opens its doors on Monday.

The £2.4m project - built on the site of an earlier museum of the same name - offers visitors a multi-media exhibition about the civil rights and early Troubles era in Londonderry.

Museum manager Adrian Kerr said: "We are all thrilled that the new museum is at long last ready to open.

"It has been a long and hard road, but the new building is worth the wait.

"It will allow us to do a lot more work in educating people about this very important era in our history."

Mr Kerr said he was certain the museum would be a hit with tourists and visitors to the city.

"After two years in temporary premises it will be fantastic to have the museum back where it is supposed to be, in the heart of the Bogside, where so much of our story happened."

The artwork on the front wall of the museum was created by local artist Locky Morris and is entitled 'We Shall Overcome', in tribute to the famous song which became an anthem for Northern Ireland's civil rights movement.The Free Derry Museum is in the city's Glenfada Park, and is owned and managed by the Bloody Sunday Trust.